Title: Steamboat Seasons: The Sequel to Steamboat Seasons and Backwater Battles A Historical Novel
Author: Kendall D Gott
Publisher: Covenant Books
ISBN: 978-1636300788
Pages: 328
Genre: Literature / Historical Fiction
Reviewed by: Jack Chambers
Hollywood Book Reviews
One thing which people often fail to realize as wars ravage our world is what happens to us all in the aftermath of that war. So preoccupied with the horrors going on during the war, the hard impact on people both on the battlefront and back at home once the battles have been fought are difficult to comprehend until that aftermath is facing us directly. One of the bloodiest and most painful wars ever fought on American soil is no doubt the Civil War, in which the aftermath of that war became the focal point of over a century of civil rights battles and never-ending battles to see the promises of the war become a reality. As Francois Fenelon once said, “All wars are civil wars, because all men are brothers.”
In author Kendall D. Gott’s Steamboat Seasons: The Sequel to Steamboat Seasons and Backwater Battles A Historical Novel, the author takes readers back to the unique story crafted in his first novel. A historical fiction read, the novel follows the Captain of a steamboat that had been drafted into service during the war. Following his business and dealings during the year after the war ended, the Captain finds and regroups with his love Ann, but soon conflicts begin to arise. With the Southern economy destroyed in essence, and African Americans recently freed after the war failing to see the benefits of their freedom yet amidst labor disputes and railroad competition, the Captain uncovers a deadly conspiracy that follows him and his boat along the Mississippi and into the Missouri River, all leading to one bloody final conflict.
The author did an incredible job of crafting a story that felt both unique and historical all at once. The balance between the American South landscape at this point in time in history and the more personal landscape of the character’s lives as the story progresses was perfectly captured. The detailed and thoughtful approach to the history with the exploration of how the Civil War impacted everyone was so unique, as most civil war narratives often explore the war itself and not the aftermath. The imagery and tone of the narrative was perfect, and the author’s choice to explore so many different cultures and aspects of the aftermath, from an economic standpoint, a personal family standpoint, and even how it impacted everyone from the freed African American people to the Native Americans of that era and beyond made this story so engaging as a whole.
This is the absolute most perfect read for those who enjoy literary dramas within a historical fiction setting. The author really did a great job of tapping into the historical backdrop without having to sacrifice the personal growth of the characters or the personal narrative that the protagonist was developing in the face of this war’s aftermath.
Gripping, engaging, and thought-provoking, author Kendall D Gott’s Steamboat Seasons: The Sequel to Steamboat Seasons and Backwater Battles A Historical Novel is a must-read historical fiction novel. The passion and heart for which the author wrote this narrative, as well as the attention to detail the author gave to the history of the time period and the novel’s setting make this such a compelling read.